Manchester United Scouts Target Kaua Elias as No.9 Solution
Manchester United’s summer business is edging into its next phase, and this time the focus is firmly on the No.9 position.
Club scouts were in Lviv on Monday to watch Shakhtar Donetsk forward Kaua Elias – and the Brazilian did everything he could to turn a routine check into a serious conversation back at Carrington. The 20-year-old produced a perfect hat-trick in Shakhtar’s 5-1 demolition of Kudrivka, scoring with his left foot, right foot and head in front of representatives from some of Europe’s biggest clubs.
United and Arsenal were both in attendance, according to reports, with Shakhtar valuing the striker at around £30million. An official bid from England is now expected.
A rising Brazilian under the radar
Elias only joined Shakhtar from Fluminense in 2025, but his impact has been sharp rather than slow-burn. He has 12 goals and three assists in 39 appearances for the Ukrainian side, numbers that don’t yet scream superstardom but hint at a player accelerating quickly in a demanding environment.
That acceleration is exactly what has caught United’s eye. After a series of scouting assessments, staff at Old Trafford have reportedly been told that Elias has the “potential to develop into a top-level centre-forward” and, crucially, that his skill set fits the club’s preferred style.
Those inside United believe he would mesh with a press-heavy, fast-transition system. He runs hard, stretches defences, and works without the ball – the kind of traits that have become non-negotiable for modern Premier League forwards.
Competition building across Europe
United are not alone. Arsenal have been tracking Elias for several weeks and are understood to be monitoring his development closely, sensing an opportunity to move for a young striker before his price climbs beyond reach.
AC Milan and Porto are also in the frame. Rossoneri executives are said to be weighing up a bid of their own, while Elias’ representatives have already received what are described as “concrete signals” from multiple interested clubs. The player, for his part, is thought to be open to a move into one of Europe’s elite leagues.
This is not a quiet, under-the-radar chase. It is shaping into a straight contest between clubs who all believe they can offer the next step in his career.
United’s need up front
The timing is no coincidence. Michael Carrick’s squad carries a clear gap through the middle. Benjamin Sesko stands as the only recognised out-and-out centre-forward among the senior options, with Joshua Zirkzee expected to depart amid strong interest from Juventus.
United have moved decisively in midfield, bringing in Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans to refresh the engine room, but the rebuild is incomplete. With weeks still left in the transfer window, recruitment plans include a third midfielder, a full-back and, centrally, another striker.
Elias now sits firmly in that conversation.
The club’s goalkeeping department has already been reshaped. Altay Bayindir left for Celta Vigo on Friday on an initial loan, with the La Liga side holding a £3.5m option to make the Turkey international’s move permanent. Space is being created. Budgets are being managed.
The question now is simple: will United turn admiration for a raw but compelling Brazilian into a concrete bid, or will one of their European rivals steal in first and grab a striker many inside Old Trafford believe could grow into the real thing?
